To Kill A Mockingbird
Interview and Reflection
Choose an older family member or close family friend to interview focusing on one of three questions below.
1. Have you encountered prejudice in your life? Were you a victim, witness or participant? What was the nature of the
prejudice and how did it affect you and your family in the long and short term? This could be prejudice based on
race, culture, gender, age, sexual orientation, appearance or any other reason.
2. Were you affected by the Great Depression? How did this time period affect you and your family? How does it
compare to this recession or others you have lived through?
3. Did you have a strong experience in reading the book To Kill A Mockingbird? What do you remember about it? How
did it affect your beliefs or understanding of the world?
Complete these steps toward finishing your reflection by the dates below:
Due Date
_______
A. Identify a person to interview and write three questions to begin your interview.
Person
_____________________
Questions
_______
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
B. Interview your subject for at least a half hour, but a good interview that engages your subject will
probably last longer. Be prepared to change/add to your questions as you learn more information. You’ll
need to share or turn in your notes by the due date.
C. Write a 1 ½ -2 ½ page (500-800 words) reflection essay of your thoughts and ideas from your interview.
Focus with empathy on your subject in your essay, and come to a unified conclusion (your thesis) about the
effect of the topic on your subject and/or yourself. An electronic document is best. Use the scoring guide on
the back to help you, and your Six Traits focus is on Ideas and Content and Sentence Fluency.
To Kill A Mockingbird
Interview and Reflection
Choose an older family member or close family friend to interview focusing on one of three questions below.
1. Have you encountered prejudice in your life? Were you a victim, witness or participant? What was the nature of the
prejudice and how did it affect you and your family in the long and short term? This could be prejudice based on
race, culture, gender, age, sexual orientation, appearance or any other reason.
2. Were you affected by the Great Depression? How did this time period affect you and your family? How does it
compare to this recession or others you have lived through?
3. Did you have a strong experience in reading the book To Kill A Mockingbird? What do you remember about it? How
did it affect your beliefs or understanding of the world?
Complete these steps toward finishing your reflection by the dates below:
Due Date
_______
A. Identify a person to interview and write three questions to begin your interview.
Person
_____________________
Questions
_______
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
B. Interview your subject for at least a half hour, but a good interview that engages your subject will
probably last longer. Be prepared to change/add to your questions as you learn more information. You’ll
need to share or turn in your notes by the due date.
C. Write a 1-2 page (500-800 words) reflection essay of your thoughts and ideas from your interview. Focus
with empathy on your subject in your essay, and come to a unified conclusion (your thesis) about the effect
of the topic on your subject and/or yourself. An electronic document is best. Use the scoring guide on the
back to help you, and your Six Traits focus is on Ideas and Content and Sentence Fluency.
Name ___________________________________Per. ____ Date _____________
To Kill A Mockingbird, Interview Reflection Scoring Guide- 40 pts, Major Work
Categories
Ideas and
Content
20 points
Sentence
Fluency
20 points
Below Standard






Approaches Standard
Unclear or
unfocused thesis
Weak support
Uses 1 or no quotes,
or quotes do not
support

Little variety of
sentence lengths
Repeats sentence
beginnings
Sentences are often
unclear and
awkward, may have
run-ons or
fragments





Thesis is emerging and
may not be focused on
one theme
Support is clear but may
be general or lack
analysis
Quotations may be
inadequate
Some variety of
sentence lengths
Some variety of
sentence beginnings,
may sound forced
Sentences are
sometimes unclear or
awkward, possibly
some run-ons or
fragments
Meets Standard







Exceeds Standards
Clear thesis w/central
theme
Supported w/analysis of
the interview
Empathic
Uses adequate
quotations to support

Good variety of
sentence lengths
Good variety of
sentence beginnings,
may sound forced in
places
May have few run-ons
or fragments






Perceptive thesis w/ a
central theme
Supported w/detailed
analysis of the interview
Empathic
Uses several strong
quotations to support
Dramatic variety of
sentence lengths
Great variety of sentence
beginnings that are
smooth
No run-ons or fragments,
except for dramatic
fragments
Name ___________________________________Per. ____ Date _____________
To Kill A Mockingbird, Interview Reflection Scoring Guide- 40 pts, Major Work
Categories
Ideas and
Content
20 points
Sentence
Fluency
20 points
Below Standard






Approaches Standard
Unclear or
unfocused thesis
Weak support
Uses 1 or no quotes,
or quotes do not
support

Little variety of
sentence lengths
Repeats sentence
beginnings
Sentences are often
unclear and
awkward, may have
run-ons or
fragments





Thesis is emerging and
may not be focused on
one theme
Support is clear but may
be general or lack
analysis
Quotations may be
inadequate
Some variety of
sentence lengths
Some variety of
sentence beginnings,
may sound forced
Sentences are
sometimes unclear or
awkward, possibly
some run-ons or
fragments
Meets Standard







Exceeds Standards
Clear thesis w/central
theme
Supported w/analysis of
the interview
Empathic
Uses adequate
quotations to support

Good variety of
sentence lengths
Good variety of
sentence beginnings,
may sound forced in
places
May have few run-ons
or fragments






Perceptive thesis w/ a
central theme
Supported w/detailed
analysis of the interview
Empathic
Uses several strong
quotations to support
Dramatic variety of
sentence lengths
Great variety of sentence
beginnings that are
smooth
No run-ons or fragments,
except for dramatic
fragments